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Mechalle Myers, who works for the Country Music Association in Nashville, was diagnosed with breast cancer in May of 2016. “When I was diagnosed, I was paralyzed. When I got that call I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t even know what was next.”

A friend recommended she call the T.J. Martell Foundation, whose work she was already very familiar with through our partnership with CMA and reputation in the music industry. The T.J. Martell Foundation provided quick referrals to specialists at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and a second opinion at Mount Sinai in New York City when needed. “They got me out of being paralyzed and moved me in the direction I needed to see the doctors I needed to see. I would have never been able to make these connections without the T.J. Martell Foundation. It would have been very stressful, and I can’t say enough great things about them. For someone to step in and say ‘it’s going to be okay – I’m going to help you’ is just amazing. They left me with no lag time to be sitting around dwelling on this news. They got me in to see the doctors I needed right away. I’m eternally grateful for the T.J. Martell Foundation and all their people for their love, support, direction, compassion and expertise. I will always do anything I can to help them.”

Every year, our funded researchers meet to present their cancer and AIDS research findings to our Scientific Advisory Committee at our Annual Scientific Consortium. This year’s meeting will take place later this week in Nashville. The Chairman of our Scientific Advisory Committee is Donald J. Tindall, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and a former Martell funded prostate cancer research doctor.

“I am looking forward to the T.J. Martell Foundation Annual Scientific Consortium,” says Dr. Tindall. “For the past 15 years this has been one of my favorite scientific meetings, because it brings together many of the world’s best scientists and clinician investigators. I have always been inspired by the high quality of research findings that are presented and the game-changing collaborations that are developed during this meeting. I am optimistic that 2017 will bring new discoveries for the eradication of leukemia, cancer and AIDS.”

For more information about our scientific research programs, please click here.

“If you had told me 2.5 years ago that my child with #cancer would be healthy and thriving, I’d want to believe you but I wouldn’t have known for sure. But today he is an avid athlete, successful in his academics, and thriving as a ‘regular’ kid. Thank goodness! And thanks to the T.J. Martell Foundation. My son needed extra attention and extra help early in his cancer journey since he is a person with autism, and the T.J. Martell Foundation helped him get connected with the people and resources to make this a reality. His treatment was swift, successful, and today he is 2.5 years in remission,” says Royce’s mom, Jess.

We need your help to continue to fund life-saving research for children like Royce. Please text “martell” to 243725 to donate.

The T.J. Martell Foundation mourns the loss of our beloved founder and friend, Tony Martell, who passed away Sunday, November 27th, 2016 at the age of 90. Tony taught us all how to keep fighting for what we believe in and to do what we can to help others in need. He never gave up on his fight to find a cure for cancer and through his passion, energy and perseverance the T.J. Martell Foundation has supported flagship hospitals in the United States and raised over $270 million for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research. Tony’s smile, energy and incredible devotion will be missed beyond words. We will work even harder now to keep his memory and dream alive and one day finding a cure for the diseases that he spent his life fighting. In honor of his son T.J. for whom the foundation is named, we celebrate the life of Tony Martell whose work saved lives, provided patients with innovative treatments and gave thousands of people hope. We will miss you, Tony.

“This is something that’s dear to my heart,” says Drew to Nash Country Daily. “My grandma got diagnosed with cancer a year and a half ago, and as an artist, I’ve always wanted to use what I’m doing for something bigger than myself. I’ve always wanted to give back. Now I feel like I’m starting to get to that platform where I can help.”

MULTI-PLATINUM SELLING BAND DNCE CLOSES OUT THE 41ST ANNUAL NEW YORK HONORS GALA WITH AMAZING PERFORMANCE

The T.J. Martell Foundation Annual New York Honors Gala was held this week at Guastavino’s on 59th Street. The sold-out, highly-anticipated gala is held every year as a fundraiser for the foundation’s important work in cancer research. Last night was attended by stars of music and sports, New York’s most influential industry executives and important leaders in medicine. The event was sponsored by Barclays Center and raised $1.3 million for leukemia, cancer and AIDs research.

NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 18: Tony Martell, Founder and Chairman, speaks on stage during T.J. Martell Foundation’s 41st Annual Honors Gala at Gustavino’s on October 18, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for TJ Martell Foundation)

Tony Martell, the founder of the T.J. Martell Foundation spoke passionately from the stage as he officially opened the night. Having devoted his life to finding a cure for cancer, he announced how the foundation played a pivotal role in the recent news that leukemia is no longer the number one killer in childhood diseases. “We have some big news tonight that I am about to tell you,” said Martell, after he welcomed the crowd. Since the 1970s, the T.J. Martell Foundation has provided funding for the research that has directly resulted in this significant medical announcement. In fact, the T.J. Martell Foundation can claim that they were among the first and most consistent supporters of this critical research that will save millions of children’s lives. Along with the American Cancer Society and others, it was the T.J. Martell Foundation, Tony Martell and the team led by Dr. Jim Holland, who paved the way for children to beat ALL, or what is clinically known as Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. “It’s mind-boggling,” said Martell as he celebrated the lives of children that will be saved by this discovery and 41 years of never giving up on a promise he made to his son, T.J. in the hospital years ago to do whatever he can to find a cure.

Without funding from the T.J. Martell Foundation, the immunotherapy treatment responsible for such an important announcement could not have been discovered. The treatment, called CAR T-cell therapy is the immunotherapy that rally’s the body’s own defenses to fight the cancer.

Unlike other cancer advances, it has proven already to be stunningly effective in children and most common pediatric cancers. In many trials, many pediatric patients who had repeatedly relapsed saw their leukemia disappear. “We are making huge advances in research and the cure,” Martell added.

The gala was attended by stars of music and sports including actor Vincent Piazza (The Jersey Boys), WBA Middleweight Pro Boxer Danny Jacobs and players from the Brooklyn Nets including Randy Foye, Isaiah Whitehead and Caris LeVert. Honorees Mitchell C. Benson, M.D., Herbert and Florence Irving Professor of Urology at Columbia University Medical Center, Russell Wallach, Live Nation President, Media and Sponsorships and Brett Yormark, CEO, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment spoke about the importance of the T.J. Martell Foundation’s work as they each accepted awards.

NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 18: DNCE performs at T.J. Martell Foundation’s 41st Annual Honors Gala at Gustavino’s on October 18, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for TJ Martell Foundation)

At 8:30 p.m., multi-platinum selling band DNCE closed out the night with a set that literally had the room shaking, guests dancing and an energy that could only be described as electric. The band performed “Pay My Rent,” “DNCE,” “Toothbrush,” “Body Moves” (their new single off of their self-titled debut album to release Nov 18) and “Cake by the Ocean.” They left the stage to the music of Queen’s “We are the Champions” giving one last reminder that the T.J. Martell Foundation is indeed the champion as “Music’s Promise for a Cure.”

Presenters for the evening were Dr. Ronda Bixon, MD, Record Executive Ron Lafitte, Republic Records Group President Charlie Walk, radio personality Craig Carton and Good Day New York’s Roseanna Scotto.
Additional images from the T.J. Martell Foundation 41st New York Honors Gala can be found at www.gettyimages.com.

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and we are proud to fund the outstanding research of Dr. David Spriggs, who has worked with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, one of the best hospitals in the world, for over twenty years.

“In addition to the daily care of women with gynecologic cancers, I run clinical trials that are testing new, targeted drugs, and oversee a small research laboratory looking for answers to such questions as why certain tumors resist drug treatment and how genes can affect the development of tumors,” says Dr. Spriggs.

The David Spriggs Lab has focused its research in the area of ovarian cancer and drug resistance. Ovarian cancer is unique in that newly diagnosed disease is almost uniformly sensitive to chemotherapy yet nearly all patients will eventually succumb to resistant disease. The focus has been primarily directed at transcriptional and post transcriptional regulation.

Watch Dr. Spriggs as he is featured on our latest video, A Glorious Chorus, and check out our Upcoming Events to support a cancer research fundraiser in your area to allow us to continue funding the excellent work of Dr. Spriggs and our other research doctors.

Our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to Jan Swenson, who competed in the IRONMAN Lake Placid this past weekend just one year after beating cancer. Jan used his months of training as a platform to raise funds for our leukemia, cancer and AIDS research, and our foundation is grateful for the almost $7,000 raised by family, friends, coworkers and strangers in honor of this inspirational athlete.

We love the hashtag created to commemorate this incredible accomplishment on social media (#CancerHasGotNothingOnIronJan) and feel his wife says it best when she commends the way he “consciously chose not to be a victim of cancer. To fight, to conquer that chemo process, and come back stronger than ever.” Way to go, Jan!

Despite a shoulder injury that took him away from training for about a week, cancer survivor Jan Swenson was able to get back to his routine last week and successfully competed a 100-mile bike ride through Morris and Hunterdon County in New Jersey.

This weekend he will be racing in the IRONMAN Syracuse 70.3 and we’ll be sure to post photos when he’s done. Jan is excited to debut his new custom T.J. Martell race kit created by Peal Izumi.

The IRONMAN Lake Placid is less than six weeks away. Don’t forget to donate here to Jan’s fundraising efforts so we can continue to support life-saving leukemia, cancer and AIDS research.